Biography
Gus is the founder of Gusto Law. He has served as general counsel for U.S. and Canada-based private equity portfolio companies, and formerly practiced in the areas of securities and mergers & acquisitions law at a top-ranked national firm. A former television producer and film studies graduate from Yale University, Gus is recognized by his clients for applying creative solutions to technical legal problems.
Gus had guided entrepreneurs and mid to large-cap companies in various stages of their life cycles, from initial formation and fundraising, navigating periods of growth and challenges, to negotiating divestitures and forming new business combinations. In his extensive in-house counsel roles, Gus has touched on all areas of corporate law. He has guided businesses in banking, tax, finance, corporate governance, regulatory compliance, intellectual property, privacy, and employment matters, among other topics.
Gus is known for delivering excellent legal services efficiently and within budget, directing work internally and externally to provide clients with the most timely and cost-effective results. His years working extensively with Calgary-area lawyers specializing in niche practice areas, as well as with lawyers in other major markets including Toronto, Vancouver, New York, Los Angeles, and Houston, allow Gus to carefully, and judiciously, access a broad network of subject-matter experts, when, and if, his clients require specialist support. When engaged, Gus is able to carefully manage these experts’ time, using them as ad hoc resources rather than as work-horses.
Areas of Practice
Education
JD University of Calgary, 2010
BA Yale University, 2001
Experience
Gus also has extensive experience in drafting and negotiating commercial agreements for a variety of industries, including the energy, cannabis, technology, e-commerce and blockchain sectors. In burgeoning new business areas, Gus has successfully written complex sets of agreements from scratch when there was no precedent, including the construction and supply arrangements for North America’s first LNG bunkering terminal. Gus has an excellent reputation for building relationships with customers, vendors and stakeholders, working collaboratively and efficiently in resolving disagreements and reaching consensus.
Gus would be thrilled to learn more about your business and your company’s needs.
Industries Served
- Oil & Gas
- Industrial Gases
- Transportation
- Cannabis
- Private Equity
- Pension Funds
- Venture Capital
- E-commerce
- Technology
- Commercial Real Estate
What People Say
Client Reviews
Personable and Professional
Gus was by far one of the most personable and professional lawyers I’ve spoken with. I needed to seek out legal advice to a) see if I had legal grounds to make a claim and b) how to navigate and pursue the claim if so. Gus listened with empathy and gave super clear, honest advice on how to proceed with a very difficult business owner. If another situation arises where Gus’ services are needed, I will 100% engage Gus as trust has been established by the character that he displayed in our first call.
B. Martens
December 2024
Expert Counsel
Not only is Gus a skilled and thoughtful lawyer, but he also has the rare ability to communicate in a way that’s actionable and free of legal jargon – plus he’s an all-around great guy to boot. I am grateful for his expert counsel and look forward to continuing to work with him in the future.
G. Damian
July 2024
I definitely recommend him
My partner and I reached out to Gus for a very small scale business investment and a very basic knowledge of the legal due diligence requirements. He responded to our inquiry the same day, spent a very reasonable amount of time reviewing the documentation we provided, and took the time to explain complex matters in very simple terms to us, for some of that time he didn’t even charge us. We learned a lot from our interaction with Gus. I recommend him, and the above and beyond service he provides to his clients to anyone needing business legal counsel.
S. Khazraei
June 2024